America’s love for Valentine’s Day is unbending

The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.

Why we asked: The last time we asked about Valentine’s Day plans in 2023, America was reeling from inflation. With prices stabilized at the new normal for two years now, are we planning to do things differently for our significant others in 2025?

What we found: Nope, people are largely sticking with the same Valentine’s Day plans they had in 2023. This is clearly our habits and rituals issue of the Dispatch. Of the 10 things we asked about, not one had a statistically significant change. About one in five people say they plan to celebrate the day by buying a gift (23%), going out on a date (21%), staying in for a romantic night (20%) or buying a card (19%).

A small but feisty group (3%) say they plan to have an “anti-Valentine’s Day” party or gathering. One in three (33%) say they don’t plan to celebrate, compared to 36% in 2023 (again, within the margin of error, so statistically unchanged). We love to love. Stay tuned for our upcoming Love and Happiness Global Advisor release to see how other markets compare.

More insights from this wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker:

The housing market is crunched, and Americans are feeling it

Americans still have a complicated relationship with AI

Most Americans plan to watch the Super Bowl, but many are more excited for the puppy bowl

We know climate change is a thing, but some of us think it’s a good thing?

The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about